Diploma Program
Community Support
Worker
SELC’s Community Support Worker Program is an exciting educational experience complete with passionate, experienced instructors who reflect the standards set out by today’s human services industry. Students learn how to effectively provide multi-faceted support to individuals experiencing mental health issues, emotional abuse, physical/sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, and addiction disorders. This program is flexible; there are opportunities to study online, or on campus with different schedule options. There is currently a great need for CSW’s in our communities, and students will learn how to conduct needs assessments, and operate from a strengths-based perspective. This program covers concepts such as psychosocial rehabilitation, indigenous perspectives on rehabilitation and healing, addiction theories, and recovery and relapse prevention. Students gain a better understanding of oppressed and marginalized populations such as indigenous populations, the elderly, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and persons with disabilities. As this is an applied program, students will be transferring the skills they learn in class to authentic support worker environments. Students will be spending part of their program in a practical work setting, and participating in community outreach/support to clients. Additionally, students will be required to take a community resource and networking course prior to the start of their practicums. This will allow students to enter into a practical experience with community insights that will only serve them well in their new careers.
Upon completion of this program the successful, student will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Empower those who have developmental disabilities and/or comorbid conditions-focusing on self-determination and community independence
- Promote the development of clients’ mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health
- Prepare individuals to participate fully in the community offering support in the least restrictive ways possible
- Teach clients valuable skills such as conflict management, interpersonal effectiveness, prosocial decision-making,crisis management, and how to create healthy boundaries
- Participate in community resource and networking
- Support individuals with serious mental health conditions, including psychotic disorders
- Advocate for historically oppressed and marginalized populations such as indigenous clients, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals
- Communicate to clients with communication disorders using a variety of augmentative and alternative communication devices/adaptive technology
Example Job Titles:
- Aboriginal outreach worker
- Addictions worker
- Child and youth worker
- Community development worker
- Community service worker
- Crisis intervention worker
- Developmental service worker
- Drop-in centre worker
- Family service worker
- Income maintenance officer - social services
- Life skills instructor
Completion Requirements
- Successful completion of all on-campus courses with a 60% overall average
- Successful completion of their Work Experience
- Successful completion of all industry-certified courses provided during the program.
- Successful completion of all practice education components.
- Students must achieve a minimum pass rate of 60% on all Final Exams and projects.
- Students must also maintain a minimum of 80% attendance throughout each course's duration in the program.
- Students are expected to complete all course exams, quizzes and assignments, and participate in all discussions and activities.
- Students must complete the assigned co-op report to be submitted one week after completing their co-op placement and achieving a Satisfactory Grade (S) to receive their formal Diploma.
Developmental Psychology I
Developmental Psychology II
Fundamentals of Poverty
Fundamentals of Mental Health
Exploring Developmental Disabilities
Applied Behavioral Analysis for Community Support Workers
Supporting Indigenous Clients in the Community
Advocacy and Empowerment
Professional Ethics for Human Service Workers
Basic Pharmacology & Medication Management
Career Success I
A passing grade of 60% consisting of Final Exam, Midterm Project, Group Presentation, Quizzes and Assignments
This program is under pending approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
33 weeks
Total Instruction 600 hours
Total Practicum 120 hours
*Program Pending PTIB Approval
- Duration: 720 hrs
- English Requirements:
- IELTS: 6 overall band with no score lower than 5.5
- Duolingo: 95
- TOEIC : 700
- TOEFL (paper based): 537
- TOEFL (IBT): 75
- Cambridge : FCE
- CELPIP : 7
- Cael: 50
- Students require ALL of the following:
- Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency for domestic students
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and completion of high school studies and/or commencement of post-secondary studies OR have achieved MATURE STUDENT STATUS: 19 years of age, out of secondary school for a minimum of 1 year with program industry experience minimum of 100 hours
- Criminal Record Check